Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant R. H. M. Jones, Royal Naval Reserve, who served in the Mediterranean during the Great War
1914-15 Star (Lieut. R. H. M. Jones, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. R. H. M. Jones. R.N.R.) nearly extremely fine

1914-15 Star (2) (S.4663, W. Parks, Sto., R.N.R.; 1265W. S.A. J. Slater. Skr. R.N.R.) nearly extremely fine (5) £140-£180

Reginald Herbert Mordington Jones was born in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, on 12 September 1882. He was awarded his Certificate of Competency as Second Mate of a Foreign-going Ship 10 September 1903, and his Certificate of Competency as Master on 13 April 1911. Appointed to the relieving staff of Cunard, he served aboard R.M.S. Caronia from 1911-13 and the ocean liner R.M.S. Andania as 3rd Officer from 9 July 1913 to 4 August 1914.

Posted to the books of H.M.S. Hermione as Sub Lieutenant in 1913, Jones was advanced Lieutenant 2 August 1915 whilst serving aboard the protected cruiser H.M.S. Topaze. Here he served alongside ships of the Italian Regia Marina to enforce the blockade of Albania, being later involved in the capture of an Ottoman Army garrison on the island of Kamaran in 1917. Demobilised 12 December 1919, Jones returned to the employment of Cunard and was appointed to the R.M.S. Aquitania as 2nd Officer in 1920; the posting sadly proved a brief one on account of severe illness to his wife.

Sold with original commission document appointing Jones Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, 21 April 1913; with copied R.N.R. Service Record and private research.

William Parks was born on 21 January 1891 and served as Stoker in H.M.S. Hampshire during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. Remaining aboard, he was killed by a mine explosion off the Orkneys on 5 June 1916; of the 735 crew members and 14 passengers aboard, only 12 sailors survived after coming ashore on Carley floats. The sinking later garnered global attention when it was revealed that Lord Kitchener was aboard and had drowned whilst enroute to Russia on a diplomatic mission.

James Slater was born in Banff on 26 August 1871. He enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on 17 March 1915 but was discharged as physically unfit on 8 December 1915; he died a short while later of cancer on 21 August 1916, his 1914-15 Star trio being issued to the trustees of his estate in 1925.